1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for securing one countertop section to another precut countertop section. More particularly, the present invention relates to quickly operable devices for drawing and bolting one countertop panel to another.
2. Prior Art
In the cabinet making and related industries it is often necessary to assemble a countertop which is typically composed of panels of particle board covered with a protective laminate. This will occur, for example, when a first precut panel with a 45.degree. edge on it must be affixed to a second panel, also with a 45.degree. edge so as to form an L-shaped counter. The conventional way to do this is to employ draw bolts which may be applied to shaped cavities in adjacent edge portions of two panels. These cavities are in the panel underside and each has an enlarged portion and a slot which extends from the enlarged cavity portion to the adjoining panel edge. A first pressure plate is threadedly received on one end portion of the bolt. A nut engages the other end of the bolt to the outside of a second pressure plate with an opening that freely passes the bolt. The prior art illustration of FIG. 2 shows such a conventional device for securing panel P1 to panel P2.
The conventional device 11 is shown to use a threaded bolt 13, threaded pressure plate 15, second plate 17 and hex nut 19. While such devices can be used to effectively secure panels of countertop material there remain drawbacks and limitations which are aggravated by the fact that countertops are typically assembled in-place, requiring the installer to work in a constricted work place since the bolt must be installed to the underside of the countertop. The installer is presented with the task of holding the draw bolt device 11 in place and against gravity, as he tightens nut 19 while simultaneously trying to hold proper alignment of the adjoining panels. The hex nut 19 may be tightened using a conventional wrench, but this is a slow process because the hex nut can be turned only a fraction of a revolution at a time because of limited access of the wrench to the nut. As nut 19 is being tightened, the installer must continually check to insure that the panel tops are kept flush with each other, and one panel must be tapped into alignment with the other when necessary. Thus it will be appreciated that installation can be particularly difficult when only one installer is involved.